Gene-Silencing Pesticides Pose New Risks to Health, Environment and Farmers
By Eva Sirinathsinghji, Kendra Klein and Dana Perls,
Friends of the Earth
| 10. 06. 2020
WASHINGTON — “Gene-silencing pesticides” now under development pose unique risks to surrounding ecosystems and beneficial insects, including bees, according to a new report, released today by Friends of the Earth and Dr. Eva Sirinathsinghji. The report summarizes the gaps in research on experimental gene-silencing pesticides and the risks they pose to human health, the environment, and farmers.
Several biotech and agrichemical companies are moving quickly to patent and bring gene-silencing pesticides to market. Corporations including Bayer [OTCMKTS: BAYRY], BASF [OTCMKTS: BASFY], and Syngenta [owned by Sinochem-ChemChina], are using genetic engineering to develop the new pesticide sprays that exploit a cellular process called RNA interference (RNAi), in order to switch off or “silence” genes that are essential for the survival of insects — thus killing them.
The first gene-silencing pesticide spray is slated to be submitted to the U.S. EPA for registration by the end of this year. The product, developed by GreenLight Biosciences, targets the Colorado potato beetle. The spray is designed to be applied to crop leaves. When a beetle eats the contaminated leaves, genetic material enters the...
Related Articles
By Dr. Coco Newton, Progress Educational Trust | 03.30.2026
Have you ever wondered what it means to have dozens of half-siblings across the world – or to never know where half of your genetic identity comes from? A recent episode of Zembla explores the human consequences of the global...
By Rob Stein, NPR | 04.23.2026
The Food and Drug Administration approved the first gene therapy to restore hearing for people who were born deaf.
The decision, while only immediately affecting people born with a very rare form of genetic deafness, is being hailed as...
By Emily Mullin, Wired | 04.23.2026
A STARTUP OUT of Utah, Paterna Biosciences, says it has successfully grown functional human sperm in a lab and used the sperm to make visibly healthy-looking embryos. The technique could eventually help men with certain types of infertility have biological children...
By Julianna LeMieux, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News | 04.14.2026
Twenty years ago, Sven Bocklandt, PhD, sought to create a hypoallergenic cat. He had the genetic engineering chops to do it, but the embryology was beyond his capabilities. At a small animal genetic engineering conference, known as TARC (Transgenic Animal...
